Causes of weight gain: Metabolism and hormonal imbalance

New Delhi: Nowadays people are following a balanced diet to stay healthy. They avoid junk food and regularly participate in physical activities, yet many individuals continue to gain weight. This situation is shocking for people and the question often arises as to why this is happening. Experts believe that it is not just a matter of diet or exercise, but it is related to the complex process of metabolism in the body.

According to doctors, when a person consumes less calories for a long time, the body adapts to that situation. This is called metabolic adaptation. In this process the body starts using less calories to save energy. As a result, the same diet that previously aided weight loss now helps maintain or maintain weight gain.

Main reasons for weight gain

Insulin resistance is also an important cause of weight gain. The insulin hormone regulates blood sugar and fat storage in the body. When the body is no longer sensitive to insulin, it starts storing fat instead of burning it. This problem can be seen even in those people who follow a healthy diet.

According to expert Dr. Moinuddin, leptin hormone also plays an important role in this process. This signals the brain that the stomach is full, but when leptin resistance occurs, the person does not realize hunger at the right time and overeat.

effects of hormonal imbalance

Hormonal imbalance can also be a major cause of weight gain. For example, metabolism slows down in hypothyroidism. PCOS affects fat storage in women and increased cortisol in Cushing’s syndrome causes fat to accumulate in the body.

Can even healthy food cause harm?

Apart from this, if healthy food is eaten in excess, it can also increase weight. Dry fruits, fruits and whole grains are nutritious, but they are high in calories. If consumed in excess, this excess energy gets stored as fat.

Lifestyle also plays an important role in weight gain. Problems like less sleep, more stress and inflammation in the body affect metabolism. Lack of sleep activates hunger hormones, while stress increases cortisol levels, which contributes to weight gain.

Therefore, experts recommend that not only healthy eating, but also a balanced lifestyle, adequate sleep and regular health checkups are necessary to keep the weight under control.